The present invention relates to an automatic transmission apparatus for a vehicle. More particularly, it relates an automatic transmission apparatus that is equipped with a driving-range shifting mechanism for a vehicle.
FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B are views each showing an earlier automatic transmission apparatus for a vehicle. In FIG. 1, the automatic transmission apparatus 1 is provided with a shifting mechanism 3 for changing the operating condition of an automatic transmission 2 and a link mechanism 4. The shifting mechanism 3 is equipped with a shift lever (shift stick) 5 to be manipulated by a driver. When the driver manipulates the shift lever 5, the movement of the shift lever 5 is transmitted to the automatic transmission 2 through the link mechanism 4 to change a position of the driving range at the automatic transmission 2. Reference numeral 6 designates a top of a floor tunnel.
In order to transmit a driver's movement applied on the shift lever 5 to the automatic transmission 2 through the link mechanism 4 certainly, there is required a manipulating force to change the position of the driving range at the machine 2. In the earlier apparatus, the principle of lever is utilized to lighten a driver's burden (manipulating force) to operate the shift lever 5. In detail, the shift lever 5 is formed longer than a manual lever 2a provided in the automatic transmission 2, as shown in FIG. 1. Note, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-323559 discloses another automatic transmission apparatus utilizing the principle of the lever.
However, it should be noted that the above measure utilizing the principle of lever causes the shifting mechanism 3 including the shift lever 5 to be large-sized. Therefore, the automatic transmission apparatus 1 has a problem that the shifting mechanism 3 has to be arranged in a restricted area in a vehicle cabin laboriously. Further, the so-arranged shifting mechanism 3 has the shift lever 5 projecting from the floor tunnel top 6 upward remarkably, which might lose a beautiful sight in view of design.